With the reduced size and increased complexity of electronic and mechanical devices, the manufacture of the devices has become increasingly more complicated. Assemblers must be shown each precise step in assembling the devices and, because of the reduced size, mistakes are frequently hard to detect prior to final test. At this point the correction of any mistakes detected can require disassembly and be very costly. Thus there exists a severe need to generate accurate instructions for assemblers, quality inspectors, test personnel, service personnel and the like and possibly more important, a need to update such instructions easily and quickly in response to engineering changes.
For assembling such devices as electronic circuit boards, electrical devices and small mechanical apparatus, it has been found that photographs are the most useful tool for teaching the assemblers and other workers the various process steps. In the past, such photographs have been generated by use of 35 MM cameras or the instant printout cameras. Of course, if the film has to be sent away for development, the time for generating the pictures is much longer and thereafter if corrections have to made, the time is extended substantially. With the instant cameras, the photograph is supplied right away but it is more difficult to generate enlarged photographs having high picture quality. With the use of the cameras the cost has been quite high. Additionally the requirement to identify the pictured items with words and/or symbols necessitates a high cost for typing and/or labeling by hand methods.
The need for accurate process instructions to assist the assemblers of electronic and mechanical apparatus is heightened by the fact that such work is tedious thereby causing a higher turnover of personnel. Additionally the technology changes very rapidly and because of the intricate nature of the work, engineering change orders are more frequent. Additionally the assembly function is frequently shifted to other locations throughout the world creating the need to generate instructions in other languages for use at the new locations.
Thus the need has become increasingly greater for a method to quickly generate process instructions showing intricate steps to be used by the assembler and other workers. It is the purpose of the present invention to satisfy that need by providing a system for not only generating quickly such instructions but also allowing the instantaneous review and alteration of such instructions for updating and correction.